Roses in Winter
by Chibi Selphie Kudou
Summary: A new assassin steps forth in Weiss. What secrets is she hiding? Will the boys accept her as she is? Why is Yohji's heart pounding in his chest?
1. Unusual Tidings

Roses in Winter  
  
A Weiss Kruez Fic by Chibi Selphie Kudou  
  
Spoilers: Yohji's past, Omi information, Aya's sister and name  
  
Warning: Violence  
  
Author's Disclaimer: No, I do not own any of the characters of Weiss, yadda yadda yadda. I thought that much was known all ready. Anywho, this is my first SERIOUS fic in a long time and my first Weiss Kruez one at that. It's a drama/romance/action sort of thing with slight humor. DON'T read this is you're looking for something humorous because there's not much in here. Stay tuned for future fanfics on the Weiss boys that WILL be humorous once I get my stash of pixie stix stocked up. Go meeeee! So, I promise to write funny ones, just bare with me with on serious one here.  
Ai,  
C.S.K  
  
Chapter 1: Unusual Tidings   
The downstairs basement of the local flower shop was cloaked with a dim orange glow on a particularly dreary day in November. The four boys known to the world as an assassin group called Weiss inhabited the room that their meetings occurred in every time their boss, a rough and serious man named Persia, handed them a mission.  
The one known as Aya, possibly noted as the leader of Weiss underneath that of Persia, chose to stand in the darkest corner. He was a serious young man who rarely ever cracked a smile. Whenever Aya did indeed force a smile on his face, it could make anyone melt into a puddle beneath his feet. He had a hidden radiance about him and a mysterious beauty that no other could obtain. Aya leaned against the wall with his arms tightly folded across his chest, a blank stare upon his cold and stern face.  
Omi had on a smile as always. Out of the entire group, he was the most cheerful of them all. He was always polite to the women that flocked around the flower shop and offered them flowers while smiling his very adorable little grin. He was swinging back and forth in his computer chair thinking to himself, humming a very soft tune. He was one of the youngest and more childlike one of them all. He was sweet, naïve, but an intelligent boy and a fierce killer at that. Yet Omi was still known as the sweet one. Of course, he did have issues of his own. The fact that he was a Takatori was not taken lightly, but none of the other members of Weiss bought that up any longer. Omi had gone through a hard time in the past. He killed his own brothers and family, and watched his sister die before his eyes. Omi had a painful past, but he put it behind him and continued to be the cute cheerful Omi everyone knew and loved. Even Aya, though he'd never admit to caring about the other boys or even call them "friends", did and everyone knew he did.  
Ken was oddly quiet that day. He sat on the floor, his goggles hanging off of his neck. He was rolling a soccer ball back on forth in his hands impatiently as if he were waiting for something important to arise.  
Yohji, the attractive lady-killer of the group, was the first to break the stiffening silence, "How long is this chick going to make us wait? I sure as hell hope that this isn't a mission. I have better things to do with my afternoons." He sighed as he lit the cigarette he was holding loosely in his left hand. He was carelessly sprawled out on the leather couch clad in his black trench coat trimmed with white crosses. He ran a hand through his wavy blond hair slowly as he peered out from behind the dark sunglasses that were constantly slipping off of his nose.  
"Be patient, Yohji-kun. She'll get here soon. It's not like her to keep us waiting." Advised the wise Omi, his brown eyes glistening knowledgeably. Ken, distracted from his soccer ball due to the sudden conversation, looked up and smirked Yohji's way, "What's the big rush? Got a date? Oh, wait, I'm sorry. Yohji hasn't had a date since he killed Asuka –"  
Yohji's head turned sharply as he flashed a violent glare Ken's way. Venom was seething from Yohji's usually soft eyes and Ken began to get slightly worried. A look of panic appeared upon his face and he quieted down. Yohji opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by Aya's interjection, "Stop. It."  
The members of Weiss became quiet as the three looked silently over at Aya, who had not changed position during the entire duration of the meeting. At that moment the basement door flew open. At the very top of the stairs, bathed in a warm glow, was a familiar and beautiful woman. "I'd know those ankles anywhere," stated Yojhi. "Manx, what took you so long?" he complained. Omi's eyes widened at the sight of Persia's faithful assistant and his sisterly confidante, "Manx!" he exclaimed happily, jumping straight to his feet and brushing off his dark-colored shorts.  
Manx's fiery red hair cascaded and curled down to her shoulders with an amazing and unrealistic bounce. She smirked with her crimson smile as she placed her hands upon her perfectly shaped hips. As usual, Manx was sporting her bright red suit jacket and short skirt to match that showed off her slender legs that always looked perfect to Yohji anyhow.  
She made her way down the steps with a graceful agility as Aya slowly opened his eyes and spoke, "Are you here to give us a mission?" Manx shook her head and smirked, winking Aya's way. "Not today, boys. I'm here," she made her way to Omi's computer desk to situate herself upon it for a moment, making herself comfortable in the presence of the assassins. After flipping her hair behind her shoulders in that womanly way of hers she continued with her notification, "...to introduce a new member of Weiss."  
At the moment Manx made her announcement the room became ghostly quiet as if a shadow entered the room and everyone sensed its presence and was trying to make not a sound. Aya stood up straight, his back stiffening at the words that obviously irritated him so. Yohji sat up on the couch placing his hands upon his knees, rethinking what Manx had just said, trying to let it all sink in. Omi let out a slight gasp but said nothing more. "A new member?" asked Ken in such shock that his face looked much like a confused pineapple.  
Manx nodded and walked across the room over towards the stairs again, her red heels clicking along the title as she went on her way. "Yes, a new member. Persia has taken this one in as he did the rest of you, saving you all from your tortured past. It is the same with the new member. A torturous past haunts the shadows of their life. I'm sure you boys will be the respectful and loving men I know you all are." Ken rolled his eyes and laughed, knowing that Manx was using her sarcastic wit again. "Please help the newcomer get along and don't cause any trouble, okay? I don't need to be told that you boys are being animals." Yohji grinned, puffing on his cigarette as he crooned, "Manx, sweetheart, you of all people should know I'm always an animal." "Yohji-kun!" Omi shouted, his eyes widening as he stood up. A look that clearly showed that he was absolutely appalled appeared upon his face.  
"Newcomer?" grunted Aya in complete disapproval. Yohji sighed and concentrated on his cigarette as if he didn't really care, Ken nodded acceptingly, and Omi smiled anxiously. "Tai," called Manx. "You may come into the base now."  
A young girl around the age of eighteen suddenly appeared in the doorway making no sound whatsoever. The boys all gasped in unison, it was quite a shock to see that the new member was clearly not like them. The girl had a blank expression on her face. It looked as though the happiness had been taken away from her at some point in her life. Her wavy brown hair flowed down to a bit beyond her shoulders as her pointy bangs fell over her sparkling green eyes that seemed to be tinted with a hint of sadness. Yet her eyes also seemed soulful, she could obviously maintain the childlike cheerfulness of Omi if she so chose. The question was: Would she? It was obvious the girl had some issues with her past and she was quite introverted. The boys would have to get to know her and bring her true self out by force. That was Omi's job, he could cheer anyone up so usually things like that were left up to him. Yohji could probably bring her out of her shell too, but with his constant flirting, any woman of Tai's sort would get sick of him within seconds.  
As Tai came down the stairs her boots made soft thudding noises. In her casual attire, she wore a red tank top and black jean shorts that showed a bit of thigh.  
Yohji's sunglasses practically fell off of his nose as he shot his lazy self up off the couch. "A lady? Well, well, well..." he purred as he glided his way to Tai's side grinning. He delicately picked her hand up and kissed it. Tai made no response. She just blinked at Yohji with an expression that showed she was taken slightly aback by his openness.  
Omi also bounced his way on over to her next and flashed a cute and friendly smile her way. "Tai-san, I'm Omi. It's nice to meet you!" he exclaimed happily. Omi never really had any female friends or any other friends for that matter besides his group-mates. Tai cracked a soft smile back Omi's way. He seemed very nice and kin, in her perspective. She automatically took a favoring towards the boy named Omi.  
Ken gave a little wave Tai's way and she nodded respectfully in response. "Yo." He said, despite his shock. Aya stayed completely silent the entire time until..."This girl...is going to kill?" Manx nodded. Aya grunted in reply.  
Tai opened her eyes and twitched in anger as she shot Aya a cold glare. The girl even looked pretty when she was angry, that was a plus, for men like Yohji anyhow. "You dare underestimate me? What would you know about women and killing? Keep your comments to yourself. Revenge can change a person, as it has me. I came and joined Weiss to protect the innocent from the disgusting creatures that inhabit this world and slip past the law and get away with their evil crimes. You know nothing of me or of my past so don't you dare go around and make assumptions. I have a will to kill these evil people, and thus I will do so with no problem whatsoever. And I WILL kill!"  
The room became quiet suddenly as Aya slowly made his way towards Tai. He had a look of pure discontent in his eyes as he glared her way. He stood face to face, looming over the girl. Tension was thick as the two stared at each other for a long while, saying nothing. "Aya." He said. Tai finally cracked a smile of satisfaction and replied, "Tai Mizayuki. Glad to be on board Weiss with you boys." 


	2. Conversations of Sorts and Sleeping Arra...

Chapter 2: Conversations of Sorts and Sleeping Arrangements   
It was later on during that very same evening at the flower shop. The assassins had gathered back in the basement after having a regular sit- down dinner together. It was the first time in a long while they had a dinner like that, but this time Omi wanted to do something special to welcome Tai into Weiss. He wanted to make her feel a part of their "little family" as he so called it. This is why Omi offered to cook for the five of them and he was rather excellent at that. They had a wonderful meal filled with laughter, good food, and smiling...except from Aya of course, he remained quiet for the period of the dinner. The great thing, in Yohji's perspective was that Tai was opening up. This also made Omi very happy. Tai was becoming more and more comfortable with the Weiss boys and Yohji was happy about it. He spent most of the dinner thinking of ways to get close to this beautiful and mysterious young woman.  
Then again, he was fighting himself at the same time. Every time she laughed, smiled, or spoke for that matter, Yohji's hear would pound in his chest. He felt a million and one emotions surge through his body every time he looked at her. She made him absolutely breathless and that wasn't something that happened to Yohji. He was supposed to be the one making the women go weak in the knees, not the other way around. He hadn't felt this way since she was alive. Asuka...  
Here is where the problem arose: there was work involved. Together they all had to be assassins, killing and fighting whenever needed. One is never supposed to let romance and work intertwine. It was strictly unprofessional and forbidden. Yohji tried hard not to think about her that way that night, but he couldn't help it. For now, he would only put his feelings aside and deal with them later.  
Now, he was sitting in his usual spot on the couch. Tai was seated next to him, her palms tightly covering her knees. She seemed quite more relaxed now with a rather pleasant expression on her face. "That was a great dinner, Omi. Thank you very much, you're a wonderful cook." Tai said. Omi was sitting on the floor Indian style, his face lighting up when Tai praised him. He nodded in approval back at Tai. "Yeah, Omi. Man, am I stuffed. Good job, kiddo." Yohji said winking towards Omi, patting his stomach lightly to show his approval to Omi. Ken was sitting in a chair on the opposite side of the room, breathing in and out for the simple fact that he ate way too much. Ken would take Omi's cooking over take-out any day. Aya was standing against the wall next to him, but that wasn't much of a surprise because Aya almost always stood.  
They had gathered again for some more conversation to try and get to know Tai a bit better. She basically gave them a good overview of her personality the moment they met her and during the dinner but the boys wanted to see if they could learn more, especially Yohji. They also needed to discuss sleeping arrangements for Tai. The bys lived below the shop and there was barely any room for the four of them. Thus, one more person would cause quite a problem, and the boys' rooms were small enough as it is already.  
"So, Tai," Ken said, breaking the silence after dinner. "What brings you to Weiss? I don't think we asked you that during the meal." Ken was prying and he realized that the minute he asked her the question. He shut himself up after that and tried to avoid her eyes, fearing she might become sad or possibly angry. He didn't want Tai to be angry with him and he didn't want to see her cry either, he was getting used to her already and he liked her as a friend a lot. Tai, in her decent mood, smiled back politely even though the boys noticed her posture stiffening as the question was asked. It was obvious something terrible happened to her and she didn't like discussing it. She understood Ken was only trying to be kind and was making conversation, so she decided to tell them a little bit into why she joined up with Weiss. "A death" she said curtly. Everyone was silent and she looked down for a moment. "My brother, Aki, to be precise. He was murdered. But, I don't like to speak much about it. I apologize, I'll tell you all one day." Her voice was soft as she finished up and tried to maintain herself with a weak smile. Ken nodded sympathetically her way and lowered his head himself. Aya looked at her from the shadows. His eyes burned into her, as if he were trying to search inside of her soul and piece together the puzzle of this girl, Tai.  
Omi stood up from the couch, knowing exactly what to do. He jumped up onto the couch beside Tai, his knobby knees bending outward. What where friends for? He was there to give his friend moral support. His smile was warm and kind, just like Omi's eyes always were. That's what everyone loved about Omi. She returned the same smile his way, tilting her head to the side, signaling him that she was okay and everything would be just fine. It was obvious Omi took a liking to Tai. "How old are you, Tai- san?" Omi asked sweetly. It was a good change of subject. They didn't need to welcome Tai in with depressing times right now; more of those would come later. That was part of the baggage of being in Weiss anyhow. Although Omi had felt her pain on what it was like to lose a sibling that was murdered, he knew it was best not to pry into her past right now and just try and put a smile upon her pretty face. Of course, he was curious and hoping that Tai would inform him in time when they grew closer, but now he just wanted to make her smile.  
The boys thought that Tai had a pretty smile. They hadn't had a woman in their lives for the longest time and it was good to have a female companion around. They'd do anything to see her smile all the time. Yohji especially adored her smile. His eyes did not wander from the creature since the moment she had entered the base. Everything about her captivated him. Her smile, her body, her persona; she was everything he always wanted in a woman. The question was: could she develop the same feelings for him? Since she came into the basement, Yohji sat puffing on his cigarette and watching. She was beautiful in his eyes. He'd kill for her smile. And as for Aya, well, he didn't care much for anyone's smile.  
"I'm 18." Tai replied, pushing her hair behind her ears. Her brown hair flowed with her fingers in a bouncy way that Yohji absolutely adored. Omi grinned, he was amazed at her movements, she reminded him of a sister. Tai reached out a hand and delicately pushed his light brown hair away from his soft eyes. Omi's eyes glistened at her tender affection; it had been so long since he felt a tender touch. It was much too long. It was also quite obvious Tai was not a terribly cold person once you were able to open her up.  
Ken looked at the two, watching how they were with each other. They were delicate and loving. He suddenly felt jealous that they were in the midst of developing a sibling-like relationship. Ken had that with Omi practically, but now he was afraid of this girl. This girl could quite possibly replace Omi's beloved Ouka and gain his affections as a sister, and Omi would no longer need Ken as a brother figure.  
"18, eh? Perfect age." Yohji commented grinning. Yohji liked his women eighteen or older and that was the only way he liked them. He was 21 himself, and he needed a woman of sophistication. Tai was eighteen and she sure did have sophistication, another plus on Yohji's list that only caused him to fall deeper for her. "Perfect age for what?" asked Tai, blinking with confusion. She had no idea what Yohji was murmuring about. Omi sent a glare Yohji's way in his protective manner. He didn't need Yohji toying with their new member's heart and causing drama in Weiss. Aya grunted and seethed, "Yohji, keep your hands off her. She's a member of Weiss, not one of your usual love toys." Hearing this, Tai shot Yohji a look of disapproval. Tai had to admit that Yohji was quite attractive, too attractive actually. Her heart skipped a bit when she first laid eyes on him. But his type disgusted her, so she wasn't too happy with Aya's explanation. Yojhi flushed pink and looked at Aya desperately, nearly shouting, "I didn't mean it like that!"  
Tai's eyes sparkled and she began to laugh softly. Her laugh was cute and sweet. It had a melodious sound that the boys were pleased to hear. At her laughter, all the boys seemed to crack a grin. It was nice to see such a sad soul be capable of good-hearted laughter. Aya even, almost grinned. Tai and he seemed a lot alike in many different ways, though he would never admit that out loud. "What's so amusing?" asked Ken, quite cheerfully.  
Tai placed her hands in front of her mouth, giggling. "You guys are just so funny. I mean, it's great to be working with people like you. Everyone's all so cheerful! Except for Aya over there, I don't want to deal with his PMSy attitude." Omi's face turned red with embarrassment. He forgot that with a female there would be talk of feminine issues. Omi wasn't used to this sort of thing yet.  
Aya's fists clenched together in fury. Did she just associate his attitude with that of a woman's monthly mood swing factor? "My WHAT?" the redheaded male's eyes seemed to spark with immense fury as he shouted his words. He stalked over towards Tai almost shaking in rage. She blinked Aya's way, her expression unchanging. Her eyes danced daringly. She liked the thrill of annoying him. She liked him himself because of his mystery and how he never let his guard down for anyone, not even a girl.  
Ken whistled, trying to distract himself from the scene that was occurring. It was never good to make Aya mad, blood could quite possibly be spilt when that happened. Ken would know. After the one incident involving Aya's car, his motercycle, and an epileptic puppy, Ken knew never to make that mistake ever again. Omi watched in fear while Omi watched in amusement. Yohji liked his omwen passionate and feisty, and that is exactly what Tai was. So there Aya and Tai stood for a long moment, staring each other down with their burning glares. Time seemed to stand still for the two of them until Tai placed her hands on her hips and stuck her tongue out playfully at Aya. She tried very hard to choke back her giggle. She retracted, outright laughing, as Aya proceeded to turn his back to her angrily, his face turning bright crimson. His arms crossed tightly over his chest as he gritted his teeth. Aya finally spoke, whispering loud enough for only Tai to hear. "Let it be known, I have no particular liking to you. Yet, we indeed are a lot alike. We hold a terrible past within our hearts. It was my sister and your brother. Our personalities are the same, only, you are able to hide it in your cheerfulness. Like Omi, you lock it away behind a smile. I, unfortunately, cannot do that. But I will work with you and fight with you. I am on your side. Together, we are Weiss." Tai blinked for a second. Was Aya actually being nice to her in his own twisted little way? Suddenly, she beamed with a satisfied grin. "Aya-san, you're so sweet! Thank you!" Aya closed his eyes in annoyance. Was this girl serious? He then spun around quickly and replied, "I still don't like you!" Everyone laughed, which only made Aya more furious. He furrowed his brow, his right eye twitching uncontrollably. Tai wrapped her arms around his wasit and pushed her head into his chest smiling in the way a little sister would do. Aya's eyes widened in shock. What the hell was she doing? He took his hands and pried her from around his waist as he pushed her off of him. "Sit, pest." Tai laughed and took her seat in between Omi and Yohji once more, her face happy with satisfaction. Ken stretched out on the floor and let out a rather large yawn. "Man am I beat!" he said, obviously put out by the sleepiness that was taking over him. Omi's head perked up at Ken's comment in utter realization and exclaimed, "Oh yeah! Where will Tai-san stay? She needs a room to sleep in." Aya nodded in agreement. "Yes Omi, she does. I don't know where however because you are perfectly aware that we have no room." Tai waved her hands in front of her face and grinned sheepishly. "No, no, no, don't you all worry about me. I can sleep on the couch, I don't mind." Yohji tossed down his finished cigarette and stared Tai straight in the face, she couldn't' possibly be serious. He placed a hand daringly on Tai's knee. She blushed a bit, her heart racing. There was that feeling again, the one she felt whenever she looked at Yohji. At her blush, a twinge of pleasure slid down Yohji's spine. She was so adorable; he wanted her in his arms so badly. "We would never give a lady the couch, that's simply out of the question." He said winking at the girl that made his heart race. "She'll just have to stay with one of us." Said Ken as-a- matter-of-factly. The goggle boy was indeed right, there was nowhere else for Tai to sleep except for in one of their rooms. "Aya nodded. "That sounds alright. But she's not staying with me." He said rather quickly. He did not enjoy others' company. Aya was the type to keep to himself and he liked it that way. "No offense, Tai, but I run alone around here." "Mine is too small." Complained Ken softly, shrugging and giving Tai a sorry grin. It was Omi to pipe up cheerily, "She could stay with me!" Yohji stood up and placed a finger in the middle of Omi's forehead, pushing in slightly. If anyone was going to have Tai in their room, it was him. He was the one that wanted to win her affections. The only way to do that was to have her alone with him and this would indeed be the perfect opportunity. Grinning slyly Yohji shook his head. "No, no, my little chibi tiger, I am the one who has plenty of room...and the extra mattress. Tai will be staying with me." After his sentence, he daped an arm loosely around Tai's shoulders. Tai's eyebrows raised as she looked at the grinning Yohji who was obviously working his charm on her. "Yohji-kun!" cried Omi as he shot up in desperation, a look of worry appearing on his face. "I have to absolutely be against that! It's unsafe for any girl to stay in your room with you in it." Ken nodded in agreement because Omi had a point. "Yeah, Omi's right. By tomorrow morning the poor girl will end up being pregnant..." Aya let out a laugh at his comrade's comment' it was amusing. Yohji would indeed do anything to be with a woman. At this new topic of conversation, Tai's face turned bright red. She was quite embarrassed to be talked about in such a manner. She smiled however only because Aya was smiling and it was nice to see a smile upon Aya's usually hard face. Yohji, in the meantime, shot up off of the couch. His face was twisted in anger. He flew threw the air and pounced upon Ken. They were at it again, always fighting those two. "Why you little...I've had it with you and your antics! I'm trying to work my magic and..." "Yohji-kun! Ken-kun! Stop it!" Omi cried out in horror. He hated seeing his friends fight, it upset him so. Yohji released Ken from his death grip. Ken was gasping for breath, rubbing his neck with a free hand. Everyone in Weiss listened to Omi, he was so innocent that everyone would stop everything for him if he asked them to. "I appreciate it Yohji, thank you." Tai said with a compassionate smile. Yohji melted at her grin, noticing how absolutely beautiful she was. Yohji nodded, blushing a bit and toying with his sunglasses upon his nose. "Don't mention it, sweetheart." He said softly. Tai yawned as she stood up from her seat on the couch. She waved at everyone, stretching her body out a little bit in a tiresome way. "Anyway, it was a nice evening. I'm a bit tired so I'm off to bed. I'll be in Yohji's room is anyone needs me. Good night everyone!" The five assassins all said their remaining good nights and filed out of the basement. Retreating to their rooms, everyone was gone except for Aya. He glanced around the empty basement momentarily before he clicked the switch that caused the basement to become flooded into a completely black void. Around the time of 3:00 am, Yohji stepped out of the steaming hot shower. He quickly wrapped a white towel around his perfectly toned waist and wrung out his hair with a free hand. The steam swirled about him in the bathroom and escaped along with the wind as he kicked open the door. His body was still glistening from the nice long shower he took and he sighed in relaxation. Stepping into his room his pulse quickened as he remembered the presence of the newest member sleeping in the bed next to his. His heart pounded in his chest as he looked at the angelic Tai. He wanted to appear at her bedside and wrap his arms around her warm little body, but he would refrain from doing so. It was completely inappropriate. Yohji proceeded to his dresser at a fast pace to get a shirt and some boxers out so he could go to sleep himself, but he paused when her heard a stirring from across the room. His jade eyes fell onto the sleeping Tai. She wore a white T-shirt as far as he could see and she was tossing and turning fiercely. Yohji blinked, wondering momentarily if he should wake her. Her body began convulsing. She was drenched in sweat ahs she began to kick and claw at the air violently. Yohji's mouth gaped open in shock as he heard the terrified cries from Tai, "No! Aki! Don't you dare touch Aki! Aki, Aki! No! AKI!" Yohji rushed to her bedside and loomed over her. What was he supposed to do? She was obviously caught in a terrible nightmare that she couldn't get out of. Yohji softly reached his hand out and placed it on her tear- stained cheek. At the moment of his touch, Tai's emerald eyes flew open. In an immediate reflex, she grabbed Yohji by the neck and flipped him over her, smashing his body into the headboard. A stab of stinging pain shot its way up Yohji's back as he winced. "No, dad, I won't let you hurt him!" she cried. Yohji grabbed her hands and tried to pry her hands from his neck. She was strong for such a young girl. "T-Tai..." he tried to exclaim, gasping madly for some air. When Tai realized what she was doing, she released Yohji's neck. Her hands flew to her mouth in immediate horror. Her white shirt was awry on her body and her brown hair was matted to her head and dripping with perspiration. Her face turned red as she could hardly look at Yohji, she was incredibly embarrassed. "I'm sorry." she said softly. Yohji nodded and pushed his wet hair away from his eyes. "Quite alright." He replied, looking at her curiously. "Are you okay?" He asked, his eyes studying her flushed face curiously. He was concerned for her, his feelings at this point had grown quite a lot. He wanted to wrap her in his arms but he refrained yet again. She looked so beautiful there, as he body was glowing within the moonlight and the shadows. Her pale skin radiated a glow like no other and his eyes glistened as they traveled down her body. Tai looked at Yohji finally, her eyes falling down to where she noticed the white towel wrapped loosely around his waist. Her eyes squinted and a look of complete disgust took over Tai's face. Yohji's eyes widened in desperation. "No, Tai, I wasn't..." but he couldn't finish. Tai cut him off by throwing a pillow at his head. "You're a pig, do you know that?" she shrieked. Who knew what he was planning on doing to her while she slept? Before Yohji could say another word, Tai had flaunted out the door, slamming it behind her. Yohji, seated on Tai's bed sighed. He glanced over at the twisted sheets and shook his head, his wet locked glistening in the light. There was nothing he could do except leave Tai alone for the rest of the night. Hopefully, she would speak to him in the morning. Yohji took a cigarette out from the dresser beside Tai's bed and rolled it around in his fingers, gazing at the texture for a few moments. He then drew out a lighter and flicked the switch, lighting the cigarette with a burst of orange. Yohji placed the cigarette to his lips and puffed on it slowly. If he didn't know any better, he probably fell in love with Tai that very night. Sighing, he rested his elbows on his kneed and looked outside the window, smoking his cigarette and watching the moonlight play on the shadows of the city. Omi's eyes fluttered open as a shadow stood in the doorway of his room. He sat up with a start, drawing the covers to his chest. It took a good six seconds for his eyes to focus on the figure standing in the doorway. "Tai- san?" he asked, his eyes widening in alarm. Tai stood, tears flowing down her cheeks. Her white T-shirt was clinging to her sweat-drenched body and she trembled every few seconds or so. He didn't ask what happened, he knew perfectly well what went on. The nightmares never did go away, not for either of them. Tai flung herself into the bed next to Omi and cried into his chest. "Onichan..." she whispered, the sound muffling into Omi's T-shirt. Omi wrapped an arm around Tai's back as he lay back down upon his bed, running his hand back and forth trying to calm her down. He looked down at the crying Tai with sad eyes. She looked like an angel with broken wings. Biting his lip softly for a moment, he kissed the top of her head and whispered back to her. "Shhh...it's okay. Brother's here now and he's not going anywhere." Tai only cried harder, her fists clenching tightly onto his shirt. For the rest of the night, Omi held her. He asked nothing, said nothing, just listened to her cry. Tai needed him that night, and that night, Omi was making sure he was going to be there. 


	3. Assignments

Chapter 3: Assignments   
A few days had gone by for the members of Weiss. Tai had grown so much more comfortable with the boys and the feeling was mutual. They took her in as if she had always been there in the first place; she made the boys feel complete. Thus, Tai was getting along rather well in her new surroundings. Every day she worked in the flower shop with the boys as they usually did during the day. It was their cover. To the rest of the world they were the attractive kids that worked in the local flower shop down the block, no one knew that it was a cover up for the blood thirsty killers they truly were. Yet there was a minor difference at the shop now that Tai was around.  
High school girls usually flocked around the shop once school let out to get a glance at the attractive boys that worked their every day. Because of Tai's appearance, it was no longer the girls trying to see the boys, high school boys also showed up to admire the relatively sweet Tai. She was good to everyone. She always went to work with a smile on her face, her green apron wrapped tightly around her slender frame. Tai was good at what she did, and she did like flowers. The boys began calling her their "Rose". Yohji started that one actually. She was his rose, his beautiful blossom in the dead cold of winter.  
The girls and boys that day had their faces pressed to the glass, their eyes wide with excitement watching with anticipation at the bustling within the shop. Tai was carefully carrying a bunch of white lilies towards the register where a happy high school girl awaited them eagerly. Tai handed the flowers to the girl with the light hair that was pulled back into a ponytail. The girl smiled and waved at Tai to thank her for her help. With a spin of her heels, she darted away laughing, clutching the lilies to her chest as she yelled back, "Thanks! Go back in!"  
Ken placed his thumbs into the straps of his overalls and looked at the closing door as the girl ran off. He blinked momentarily, severely confused by the girl's farewell. But then again, when was Ken not confused? It was like Ken to always be missing things or not understanding things. It was in his nature. With a slight shrug, Ken shook his raven hair from his face and went back to checking the soil in the potted flowers' pots. Aya was off to the side, watering the flowers as he usually did. He had a blank expression on his face as he tried his best to ignore the giggling schoolgirls. Every so often you would here Aya scold calmly, "If you're not buying anything, get out." Something, however, was missing. Yohji was absolutely nowhere to be seen. Usually he would be found loafing in a corner and flirting with the older women as they came in to by their flowers.  
"Hey Omi!" cried Tai, waving a hand the chibi boy's way. "Where is Yohji? He hasn't been around for a while." She asked the young boy who was handing out violets to three of his admirers. He had a bashful grin on his face and a hand placed on the back of his backwards cap. Omi shrugged, his eyes moving sympathetically to Tai. Despite how well she was getting along, she was having a rough time.  
That time Tai made her way into his room, it was obvious she was having nightmares about the murder of her brother. According to Yohji, the nightmares were continues. She'd wake up screaming every evening, her voice calling out her brother's name desperately. Yohji would always have to wake up and comfort her until she fell back asleep in his arms calmly. But Omi knew what it was like to lose a sibling. He missed Ouka. Every Sunday he would still visit her grave, along with his father's. He thought to himself momentarily, daydreaming about Ouka's deep blue hair and compassionate blue eyes. Now that she was gone, he could confide in Tai. She could be the sister that he only had for a short time. She'd always be there for him. And Omi could be the brother that Tai had lost not too long ago.  
Compassion. Need. Kindness. Omi knew none of this anymore. What was love? What was family? Omi only knew killing since as far as he could remember. That was until Tai had entered his life, and his heart. She danced her way in and made him feel the sense of closeness that he was never able to feel. His own brothers betrayed him, as did his "father". He needed someone. Omi was truly learning how to love and what family was like. Weiss was his family. Tai, Yoji, Aya, Ken, they were all his family and for that Omi was grateful.  
"I don't know," he replied thinking a bit. "He's being quite mysterious lately. Don't you see him at night though?" Tai nodded slowly in response, taking that into consideration.  
Indeed Yohji and Tai did speak in the evening time, but not too much. She missed Yohji's cheerfulness and even his pathetic flirtatiousness with all of her heart. He had seemed to become more delicately careful around her since that horribly embarrassing incident a few nights ago. Her heart sang deep within her chest. Yohji. She wanted Yohji and nothing more. Her body trembled with an unsatisfiable hunger, yearning to see his devious smile and sparkling eyes winking from his dark sunglasses. Want. She felt her body scream with want. She wanted Yohji's touch, his hands. She wanted to feel his hands caress her scarred shoulder and...what was she doing? She needed to get back to work. Omi blinked helplessly as Tai was obviously consumed inside of her own little world.  
Suddenly, the door burst open from the basement. Yohji appeared from the darkness panting madly, his sunglasses reflecting off of the light. "Weiss," he said breathlessly. Aya shut off his hose, looking at Yohji in severe annoyance. He did not like to be distracted from his work because it angered him immensely. Everyone else just blinked back Yohji's way in shock from his outburst. It was unusual for Yohji to be riled up.  
Taking a moment for breath, his chest lifted and dropped heavily as he did so. His dark red shirt was clinging to his body and his hair was falling out of his loose ponytail. When he was able to speak again, his voice was low and it pierced the air with an urgent tone, "We have a mission."   
Once gathered in the basement for their meeting, the five assassins made themselves comfortable despite the tension that existed in the air. It had practically been nearly a week without a mission. This was the first time the five would be fighting together and no one even knew what Tai's weapon was except for Tai herself.  
Tai sat, her expression extremely blank. Her palms were pressed deeply into her knees as she sat up straight filled with extreme nervousness. This would be her first mission.  
Yohji and Aya leaned against the wall lazily for no particular reason. Aya's gaze was barely set upon the TV as he awaited Persia's video arrival impatiently. It was late now, there was no way there would be a mission tonight, they'd have to wait for tomorrow to night to start it. They needed to prepare of course. Ken was seated on the floor fiddling with the cuffs of the bottom of his jean overalls; he was always doing random things out of boredom. Sometimes Ken honestly had the attention span of a cheese sandwich. Tai's heart was beating in her chest. It felt like it was traveling up inside of her throat and she would end up gagging and spitting it out. She knew what was going to come and she dreaded it so. She might even die in the process of the particular mission she had already secretly been informed of before this. But, Tai knew she had to kill, kill for Aki.  
Yohji's eyes were not set on the TV like Aya's were. His were dead set on Tai's tense body sitting upon the coach. He watched making not a noise, his glasses slipping down his nose as the seconds passed, but he did not notice for he was too busy focusing in on Tai. Yohji could tell that she was seriously nervous about the upcoming mission. Quietly, with his cat-like agility, he made his way across the room until he appeared behind Tai's place on the couch. He reached up, his fingers flexing momentarily as he paused, wondering if he should finish his action or not. Finally, he placed his tender hand down on her shoulder supportably, giving it a slight squeeze of affection. Warm. Touch. Hearts beating wildly with the passion of newly discovered feelings. Tai turned around, her cheeks blushing uncontrollably. There Yohji stood, the one who had always been there all along. He grinned down at her and Tai could not help but think of how beautiful he was. Was this feeling love? She felt so much for Yohji at this moment. Here he stood before her, supporting her.  
The moment ceased as the television set switched on. A picture appeared illuminating the room in a white glow as the members watched intently. A man enveloped in the shadows seated behind a desk appeared upon the screen. This man was Persia, the head and brains behind the organization, Weiss.  
"Weiss," he started. Omi drew in a deep breath. He had a gut feeling that what Persia was about to say was going to bring up terrible feelings for Tai, he was waiting. Persia's voice boomed from the speakers as he went on. "Your target is this man, Koto Mizayuki."  
Everyone perked up and drew in sharp breaths as they heard the name that was announced. Aya glanced over at Tai, that was her last name, was it not? Yohji's mouth dropped open in a state of shock. Was this what Tai had been hiding all this time? Did her father kill Tai's brother? So many thoughts were swimming in his head at once that he pulled out a cigarette and began to feed his nerves with the soothing of his nicotine.  
Tai's face, however, had turned a ghostly white. Her gaze became severely cold and unkind as she stared at the picture of the face of the gruff blond man with sharp square facial features. This was her father, the man that killed her own brother and tried to kill her as well. She didn't know why. Tai did know however, that he was not dead; she was only merely able to harm him before she got away and escaped. Hatred seethes from her glare as she sat not breathing, gazing at the vile picture before her eyes.  
Persia quickly continued after the picture flashed up on the screen, "He has hired a group of assassins to rid the world of those that were competing with him in his political party. He would do anything to win and turn Japan into turmoil. Your other targets are also the assassination group known as Schwarz."  
Aya's fists clenched, his knuckles turning white with a continuous fury growing within his veins. So they were also involved? Aya despised Schwarz with a terrible passion. He made a silent promise to himself that he would kill them this time, even if it meant sacrificing his own life in the process of doing so.  
"Weiss, deny these dark beasts their tomorrows!" With that, Persia ended his speech. The TV switched off, leaving the basement back into it's orange glow with his words ringing over and over again endlessly in Tai's ears. 


	4. Pain Never Comes Undone

Chapter 4: Pain Never Comes Undone Sleep never comes easily for assassins. It escapes their rooms with the most effortless gestures, leaving them restless and coiled in the most imminent torture. Tonight, as it did every night, it came for Tai.  
  
The tossing and turning started very late. She was lying in her bed, twisting her body back and forth restlessly as light moans escaped her lips. The nightmares never ceased for Tai, over and over she saw them replay in her head. She lived them through, felt the blood, then the tears, and then would come screaming...and darkness. Her eyes squinted shut as she tore at the white sheets with all her might. That night, the terrible night that would never escape her, played through her mind like a movie the never ended. Tai and Aki had just celebrated their 16th birthday all alone together. It was always like that on evenings. Their father usually spent his evenings sitting with his politician friends, smoking cigars, and spending the nights guzzling the alcohol as if it was nothing but mere water. Frankly, Tai and Aki were terrified of their father; he was a big and rough man who showed no mercy, not even to his children. Terrible things happened whenever their father drank. Terrible things happened when he was sober as well. Yet Tai and Aki had each other. They never left one another's side. Twins was a bond that would never be broken, they had so much love and respect for one another that they didn't need their father's kindness or affections. They loved each other and that was all that mattered.  
  
Aki placed a beautiful and delicious white frosted cupcake in front of Tai with a sole candle in it. The soft glow lit up the blackness that enveloped their small apartment. Aki was one of the most beautiful young men Tai had ever laid her eyes upon. He had light brown hair that flowed down to past his shoulders that he usually fastened back in a ponytail. That only gave more attention to his delicate facial features, cheerful face, and glamorous dark eyes. He sat across from her on the floor wearing a bright orange T-shirt and fitted blue jeans. Aki looked at her with excited eyes and whispered, "Okay, when I count to three we'll blow out the candle and share our birthday dessert."  
  
Tai smiled back, she loved how kind her brother was. She ran a hand through her short brown hair and replied, "Thank you so much Aki! This is the greatest birthday anyone could ever ask for." Aki grinned, he loved seeing Tai smile. Tai was practically his entire world. His sister meant the most to him than any other living being. He would protect her from any harm and die for her if he could. He leaned over and kissed Tai on the cheek, she blushed in return. Aki was always so affectionate with her.  
  
Sitting back he took a deep breath. "One...two..." Aki never got to three. The door to the apartment swung open and a large figure staggered into the room. Tai's heart tightened in her chest. Her eyes widened at the sight of her father wobbling in, obviously drink as anything. Tonight it was bad, they'd never seen him this out of it before.  
  
Their father crashed into the table, his tie and sports jacket a complete array. Several plates crashed to the floor and Tai gasped in fear. Aki's eyes turned to slits as he heard Tai gasp. He put an arm around her protectively and his head snapped towards his father, watching him as a snake watches a rabbit. "What are you two little brats doing?" he boomed towards his children, a vicious sneer upon his face. Aki had a temper just like his father, he didn't like being messed around with. In their defense he shouted to their father, "It's our birthday if you didn't know! You treat us like crap, so I wouldn't expect a drunken bastard like you to remember our birthday. We're giving each other one because you're a no good lowlife drunkard." Tai gasped when she heard the venomous words of hatred pour from her brother's mouth. Aki had had it with their father. For years they've been deprived of a normal and happy family life. Aki wasn't going to let it ruin himself and Tai any longer.   
  
Their father's face twisted in rage as he thudded over to Aki who pushed Tai behind him. Tai slid across the floor and pressed her back against the window, her jade eyes watching the scene in terror. Her body shook, she felt cold and frightened. Aki...Aki was standing up for them. Their father grabbed Aki by the collar and slammed his back into the wall with great force. He let out a yelp of pain as his eyes closed tightly and he winced, feeling the stinging sensation ride up his back. "What did you call me you disrespectful piece of trash?" His father's breath choked Aki as he let out a gag, it reeked of alcohol. The scent made it's way into Aki's lungs, suffocating him along with his father's hand that kept pushing his body harder into the wall.  
  
Tai couldn't watch her brother take this anymore, she shot up off of the floor and rushed at her father. Her desperate hands clutched onto her father's jacket. She could feel the hot tears streaming down her face. "Father, father! Stop it! Please leave Aki alone!" She wailed in desperation. Her father flinched momentarily. He released Aki from his grip and turned around to face his daughter. Aki slid down against the wall and scrunched up in pain. Their father stood face to face with the crying Tai. He had a heartless expression on his face as he raised his right hand. Within second, Tai felt wind, and then came the rush of pain across her left cheek. Her father had backhanded her. Tai was flying, flying straight across the room and into the door.  
  
She hit the door with a loud thud. Her body screamed in pain as she rolled herself into a ball, crying harder every time she was forced to take another breath. Aki's rage surged inside of him. How dare his father touch his beloved sister. Aki's eyes blazed with fury as he shot up and leapt through the air and onto his father, wrapping his arms around his throat. "Run, Tai, run!" he cried as he struggle don the floor with their dad a moment or so. Their father was fighting back the forceful Aki, screaming obscenities. Tai didn't want to run, she wanted to stay there with her brother.  
  
Everything from then on went in slow motion. She stood frozen for a moment as her back pressed against the door as much as it could. They rolled into the table. Their father reached up and wrapped his hands around a loose plate. He broke the plate. A punch was thrown and Aki was down. Then there was screaming.  
  
Their father loomed over Aki like a giant over a blade of grass. Tears ran down Aki's face as he tried to break free of his father's heavy weight on top of him. A piece of broken plate glinted in the moonlight and it jammed down. It jammed down again, over and over and over. Blood poured from Aki's body, flowing with his screams of pain. Blood splattered on the walls in a spray of bright red. All over his father's clothes and face as well was the floor, table, and walls. After a while, the screaming stopped. That was when everything became blurry. She jumped. He hit. She grabbed a knife. Stabbed at him. He sliced her shoulder. She screamed. He ran. Aki's body. Pools of blood. Shadows of the past played upon the room. Then there was nothing but screaming and Aki's blood all over her body as she held her brother in her hands wailing in pain. Yohji couldn't get Tai to stop struggling, or screaming for that matter. Her frail body was slashing around in the sheets of her bed. She kept screaming over and over again, tears flowing from her eyes. Yohji had her arms pinned down as best he could. His face was cast with worry as he looked at her. She looked like she was in so much pain. He wanted her to stop crying, he wanted to ease her pain.  
  
He bent his head down and pressed his lips against her moistly warm ones. He stayed there until he felt a flash of pain against his cheek. Well, she was awake now. "What are you doing?" Tai cried as she sat abruptly up in bed panting, drenched in sweat. She looked around the room. Yohji was rubbing his palm on his cheek and looking at Tai with concerned eyes. He looked wonderful there, his topless body bathing in the moonlight. "You were screaming and having nightmares. I needed a way to wake you up." He grinned, attempting to lighten the mood. He winked at Tai, a look of mischief passing on his face. Tai's face turned from hot-red angry to pale again.  
  
She turned her head to the side and looked down, her brown hair falling over her face. Yohji stopped smiling and reached out a hand to brush her hair aside. He gasped and pulled away. Tai was crying. The tears fell from her eyes like endless waterfalls, making patterns along the white sheets underneath her body. Yohji's hear burst with pain; he didn't want to see Tai cry. Not now, not ever. His heart yearned for her and he couldn't help himself from falling in love with her. He would do anything in his power to make her pain go away.  
  
Finally Tai looked at him. She let out a sob and pushed her head into Yohji's bare chest s she whispered, "Yohji, I love you." Yohji's eyes widened in complete disbelief. It took him a good few seconds to comprehend what Tai's words were. Did she actually say what she thought he said? Or was it just his heart pretending to hear those words because he longed for him to say them so? Yojhi placed a strong hand down upon her head and closed his eyes, smiling softly. His hear was content. "I love you too." He replied in the most gentle of ways.  
  
Tai looked up at him, her emerald eyes glistening as she softly smiled up his way. She looked like a wingless angel in the moonlight and he looked like a handsome warrior who had taken his armor off just for her. She reached up and wrapped her arms around his muscular torso, sighing as her sobs ceased.  
  
Yohji's heart was pounding in his chest as she slowly lifted her body up against his, pushing her into him so he could hold her in a warm embrace. Tai's heart burst with happiness. She wanted Yohji, she needed Yohji. He made her complete. Yohji needed Tai for the same reason, she made him complete. Their hearts were bound to one another that night for all eternity.  
  
"Stay with me tonight." Tai whispered, burying her head into his chest. Yohji looked won at her and smiled. "I'll do much more than that." Tai looked up at him, a look of confusion crossing her face. "I'll stay with you forever." Tai's smile widened to a point where Yohji had never seen before. It was genuine happiness that Tai was feeling. Yohji returned the smile and softly placed his fingers beneath her chin. Tilting her face slightly upwards, she closed her eyes waiting for what she had been waiting for for what seemed like an eternity. Yohji shut his eyes, knowing that this was more right than anything he had ever done in his pathetic and callous life. All the pain of Asuka, killing, murdering, deceit went away. He was with Tai now, and Tai was all he needed to feel like a better man again. He loved her and she loved him. Tai also felt with Yohji she had the power inside her of to be strong. This was possible because she had him and he was all she needed to feel like a whole person again.  
  
Yohji's face slowly moved downwards until their lips pressed against one another. Moments later the two disappeared into the sheets to spend their final night before the pain and suffering was to come. All that mattered was this moment, this one moment they had to intertwine their bodies and their hearts. Deep kisses, bare skin pressing against each other, caressing hands. Touch. Taste. Passion. Love.  
  
Yohji and Tai stayed there that night lying in each other's arms, forgetting about the torture that would certainly coming the evening after. But right now, they were with one another. They lay there holding on another for the few hours they had left. But Tai was in Yohji's arms and right now and they loved each other more than anything else in this world, and at this moment, they were the only ones in the world that mattered. 


	5. Thorns and Blood on Snow

Chapter 5: Thorns and Blood on Snow Author's Note: All right, reading this fic over, I noticed this chapter had a million and one grammatical errors. This is due to the fact I was up till 2 am banging this out for people who were dying to find out how this ended. So please ignore my mistakes and errors...I'll fix them when I can. Btw, I do not own .hack sign....the lyrics in here come directly from "Fake Wings", a song from the .hack sign anime. Arigato! *runs to hide from the rabid fangirls who will be out to get her once this fic is over with* Hai, I'm brutal...gomen. -C.S.K   
  
Shine bright morning light  
  
Now in the air the spring is coming  
  
Sweet blowing wind  
  
Singing down the hills and valleys  
  
Keep your eyes on me  
  
Now we're on the edge of hell  
  
Dear my love, sweet morning light  
  
Wait for me, you've gone much farther, too far...  
  
  
  
Morning...Morning...could Tai even remember that morning? Fluttering open, a pair of jade colored eyes peered out into the world. Tai had awoken that morning. Wrapped in her white sheets she yawned and tossed herself over. The night before was the most amazing night Tai had ever had in her life, but, where was he? She should have awoken to the face of her lover but the opposite side of her was completely vacant. Utter confusion played in Tai's eyes and she sat herself up quickly. Clutching the sheets to her chest, she scanned the room. There, upon his own bed, Yohji was seated.  
  
It was obvious he had made no attempt at getting dressed. Since he was a decent man, he did manage to rummage for his boxers betwixt Tai's sheets before placing himself into another part of the room. Yohji was staring out the window with completely vacant eyes. The only thing readable about him was that he must have been deep in thought. He was nervous, his bare chest revealed his irregular breathing patterns. Between his lip was a cigarette, one that would travel into the ashtray along with the six he had before beside of his bed. Whenever Yohji chain-smoked, it symbolized that something was not right with him. There was something wrong. Could it have possibly been her?  
  
Yohji turned his head towards Tai who was blinking from her own bed. His face was pale and tragic. Pain. Hurt. Mystery. Love. He forced a smile upon his face, his lips twitching in complete fakery. He would smile only for her. "I see my princess has awoken." Tai saw straight through this mask Yohji had put upon his face. He was obviously upset, and it was rare for Yohji to place any barriers from her. Tai had always thought she was special, that she was the key to his heart so he could be free to fly and love again. Freedom. A word filled with so many restraints. Was it possible for a man like Yohji to ever be free? He was thinking too harshly that morning. Tai, in her head, pondered if she did something wrong.  
  
Lowering her eyes, a reddish tint appearing over her pale cheeks, she came to a realization that shocked and stung at her heart. "Was I that bad?" a meek voiced asked ever so softly. Yohji's eyes widened in disbelief as he heard the angel's voice ask the most horrible question she could ask. Bad? Was she bad? How could Tai possibly bad? She was wonderful. Her body, her skin, her lips, her touch. She had fulfilled Yohji's heart with a feeling he had been deprived with all of his life. How could a woman so tender and magical, a woman so angelic, possibly be bad at love in all of it's ways?  
  
"Are you joking?" Yohji said, almost half-laughing. He stood up, his muscles relaxing. His golden hair shimmered in the sunlight that poured through the window in a heavenly radiance. He slowly walked his way across the room to Tai's bedside. He placed a hand gently on top of her head as she looked up at him with her glimmering eyes. "You could never be bad." He finished in a whisper. He leaned over, his breath tickling her forehead as his lips softly pressed against its cool skin in the most miraculous sincerity.  
  
A grin spread across Tai's face, she was absolutely and completely glad. She blinked for a moment as Yohji placed himself beside her, forcing the bed to sink a bit more from his weight. "Then what's wrong?" she asked, running her slender fingers through his golden locks as a mother would, and as she used to do....to him. Her Aki. Now, only her Yohji could gain her affections anymore. Aki was dead and Omi had been rather distant lately. It was all out of due respect of course, he wanted to give Yohji and Tai their space.  
  
A painful look flashed through Yohji's eyes, as he looked her straight into her beautiful face. "I," he began, his voice cracking with emotion ever so silently. "I once loved like this before. And she died on a very important mission we were on back when I was a private investigator. I thought I could never love again, until the day you walked into my life like a wingless angel, broken within herself due to her own tragic pain. I can't lose you..." his voice trailed off, his eyes glimmering as he turned his face away from her.  
  
Tai's eyes widened in shock. Was this the same Yohji Kudou she met only weeks before? Was this same, strong, humurous, man actually broken down in tears? And for her? Slender arms wrapped around Yohji's waist in a tight embrace. Tai's cool cheek pressed against his warm skin as she squeezed her eyes shut. She wouldn't leave him...she couldn't leave him. They needed one another more than humans needed water to survive. They needed each other to survive. Tai looked up at him, her eyes welling up and sparkling with tears of tragedy and happiness mixed together in a stream of reckless madness, "Yohji, I will be with you always. No matter what happens, I love you more than anything else in this world.  
  
That was when the stream trickled down. The stream was on his cheek and came from his very own eye. Yohji Kudou, the pathetic man with a tragic life, the lonely man with no purpose and no emotion left inside of him, was crying for the girl he had loved more than the world. He cared not for his own pathetic soul, he was crying for the tragic soul of the young woman embracing him and his heart. Tai had the abilities to pick up the lost and broken pieces and put them together so gently that there was no way this woman could possibly be human.   
  
The two lovers stared at each other for a moment longer until Yohji stood up, his body looming over her like a valiant knight. He placed a tender calloused hand upon her wet cheek and grinned, his eyes dancing. "You seem to have lost something else, my love." He mocked. Tai blinked in confusion and her eyes flashed in annoyance for a split seconds. Yohji pushed a finger into her tiny nose and finished, "You're clothes." Immediately, Tai's face turned bright crimson as she pushed her sheets into her chest even harder, scrunching her body up sheepishly. Making his was towards the door, Yohji winked, and opened it. Once outside her turned back towards Tai and smiled. "By the way, I love you too." He said bluntly. He exited, closing the door softly behind him. Once outside her bowed his head down, a grin over his face. His hand was clenched around the doorknob in depseration. Leaving...leaving....she can't leave...he loved her. This time, there was no one there to force the streams flowing from his eyes back in. Yohji Kudou had broken, and could no longer stop his tears of pain. *** "Well, well, well," the carrot topped man said, his sturdy hands upon his sculpted hips. He was rather attractive for someone so vile and irritable. His name was Schuldig, a member of the assassination group known as Schwarz. The telepath reached up a hand to adjust the band around his head nonchalantly. His eyes burned into the violet eyes of the redhead opposite of him. "Look what we have here, as if they could stop us.  
  
The Knight Hunters, the group known to the world as Weiss, stood in front of Schuldig and his cohorts. Aya's face was gleaming in anger, his fists clutching his sword that lay at his side. All of them were clad in black, their usual attire for missions. "You damn well better know that we're going to stop you." Aya seethed from his clenched teeth. Schuldig made his blood boil more than anyone else ever had. He was the one that took his sister into his own hands and used his Sakura-chan to point a gun in his own direction. A small hand placed itself on Aya's shoulder in support. The young Omi's brown eyes sparkled up at Aya in sympathy. He wouldn't let Schuldig get to his friend.  
  
Brad, the raven-haired man smirked and let out a slight chuckle, his hands crossing over his chest and pressed beige suit. Next to him stood a boy with brown hair and vacant eyes in his own white attire. He was known as Nagi Naoe, a telekinetic and youngest member of the Schwarz group. Only 15 years old and had killed more than 10 times his age. On the opposite side of Brad Crawford stood the resident psychopath Farfarello. The silver- haired man who despised the thought of God, ran his blades down his scarred face, caressing them, laughing madly, as if they were his own children.  
  
The poisonous eyes of Schuldig landed upon a girl with brown hair placed up into a high ponytail above her head. She had a look of hatred upon her face, her own eyes burning back into Schuldig's. She was wearing a black pleather jacket, skirt, and knee high boots. A gloved hand was wrapped tightly around her dagger, ready to strike when necessary. Licking his lips, Schuldig looked the pretty up and down hungrily. "I see you have a new lovely lady on your team." He taunted, an evil smirk on his face. "Boys, when we're done with the rest of these clowns, let's spare her. She'll be of use to us for a few hours. Then, we can kill her." All the Schwarz men laughed, it was a miraculous joke to everyone except Nagi, who didn't care for anything except for the blueberry headed Tot of Schrient, and Weiss who was seething in anger.  
  
Yohji grasped at his watch in fury and went to shot out a deadly wire Schuldig's way, but his fist froze. Brad, stepping beside his fiery haired companion, peered from behind his reflective dark glasses. "Don't event try it." He warned quite calmly. Yohji's skin was burning. How dare anyone say anything disrespectful about Tai. Her own face was glowing red.  
  
The snow was falling on top of the good inch that was already there from the previous night. The cold blew everyone's hair back as the tense staring continued. It was time to face the enemies that had been allowed to live for too long already. Farfarello spun his knives around in his fingers expertly, liking his lips, as he was hungry for blood, a crimson liquid that quenched his crazed thirst. "No more talk." He scowled. "More blood!" he cried, darting through the snow and slashing his way towards Ken and Yohji to take them on. Brad appeared behind Aya suddenly, jamming a fist into his back. Aya's eyes bulged and he swung his sowrd in front of him and Brad. "You and me, any day." Aya said harshly towards the grinning Brad. Schuldig, disappearing in the frosty air, reappeared towards Tai's scowling face. He grinned and bowed respectfully. "May I have this fight, madam?" he asked, taunting, ushering towards the vacant patch of snow beside of them. Tai laughed, spinning her dagger in her hand, waiting to strike. "You can have your head on a platter if you like, because that's the only thing I'll spare after I'm done with you!" she screamed his way. Schuldig's eyes lit up at the challenge. "Excellent, I love my women feisty and aggressive." he stated as he lunged towards her. This left Omi and Nagi standing face to face, blinking at one another, the two children pondering what exactly to do. Aya raised his sword and slammed it down, aiming straight for Brad Crawford's heart. In an instant, Brad moved slyly out of the way with expert ease, his hands jammed into his pockets as if fighting with Aya was merely nothing. "Oh come now, Ran, are you telling me you haven't gotten more experienced after are last meeting?" He was still continuously dodging Aya's attacks as the sword came slicing his way. Aya was grunting, his eyes flashing in anger.  
  
"No, but I am telling you that this time I'm going to kill you and leave your body here for the wolves." Aya's teeth were bared as he charged at Brad who slipped off to the side yet again. A sever blow jammed itself into Aya's stomach and he toppled over, the wind escaping from his parted lips. Brad had punched him when he was least expecting it. Brad extended his cold fingers and grabbed Aya's hair at the roots, snapping it backwards. "You're pathetic." He seethed as he kicked Aya down towards the ground. In a cat-like somersault, Aya rolled himself to his feet, his boots crunching down upon the snow. All to fast for Brad to predict, Aya's sword slashed straight into Brad Crawford's leg. Blood splashed outwards from the connection, on top of the snow and onto Aya's face.   
  
Brad bent over in pain, his sunglasses falling of off his face. Twisted in pain, he spoke towards his assailant in a snarl, "I'm going to kill you." He said. Aya stood up and raised his sword, pointing it at Brad Crawford's neck. "Correction. I am going to kill you." He said triumphantly. With dire determination set in his eyes and a look of complete hatred and victory at the same time on his face, Aya hurled himself through the air. His sword was ready to make the long awaited connection with Brad Crawford, aiming straight for the throat. Soon, Aya would turn the newly white snow a deep velvet red. Two youth's with fair hair stood off alone, gazing into each other's eyes, waiting for a move, any move from the other assassin to begin making the invitation for battle. "Aren't you going to strike at me?" The emotionless telepath, Nagi, asked calmly and bluntly to the youngest member of Weiss.  
  
Omi stood his lips blue from the cold. A bow was clasped in his right hand while a dart was clutched in his left. His brown eyes flashed over at Nagi. "Would you like me too?" Nagi thought momentarily. He raised his head to the falling snow and opened his mouth to speak. "I don't care." He stood for a moment, watching the snowfall from the deep black sky over his head. It fell over his face, stinging him in specks of frost, landing in his soft brown hair and delicate eyelashes. "Why do we fight when we know we will die?" Omi blinked at the other boy's question. Was he trying to play with his mind or was he actually being serious. Omi raised his bow in front of his face, taking aim towards Nagi's heart. He felt the hard plastic of the bulk of the dart in his fingers as he set it carefully into position. "For our beliefs." Omi replied. He shivered, a look of tragedy appearing into his eyes before he added, "For the ones we love."  
  
Nagi instantly looked down and back at the boy in front of him. Love...He turned his head to the side and looked away, a hard expression on his face. "If we fight for our beliefs and those we love," he began. "I have lost everything and have no reason to fight." A hand went over his hard as he moved his face downward, clutching onto his white shirt sadly.  
  
There was a release of a string, a slicing of air, as flash of green. It was making it's way towards Nagi, one of Omi's deadly darts flying through the air to end the other boy's tragedy. Omi's eyes were shut in sadness momentarily. The opened once again, shock passing onto his face when he did not hear Nagi's body hit the snow.  
  
The boy in front of him stood staring at the dart that was sent his way. The green dart was extended and ceased in mid-air, stopped from its course towards his corrupted heart. Omi's eyes squinted in annoyance, his face scrunched up in agitation. "Damn." He whispered to himself as he watched the dart fall into the snow, making a light imprint in between the two children. Nagi smiled coldly, closing his eyes softly once more. "I fight to kill." He stated with immense simplicity. A glow emitted from Nagi's body, enveloping him entirely as it summoned powers from the depths of Hell to do his bidding.  
  
A shining object glinted in the light as Nagi held out an open palm. A silver pin lay inside of it, presumably borrowed y the human mutilator, Farfarello. It raised into the air slowly as Nagi opened his eyes, a smile of playfullness appearing ever so suddenly. "And now, my dear friend," he said softly. "I am going to kill you." The pin flew straight through the air and right for Omi's heart.  
  
Wincing in anticipation of the death that was about to befall him, he prayed. He prayed to God for the safety of his friends and the happiness of his beloved sister-figure, Tai. The pin to much too long to reach his heart. Instead, it took a detour, lodging itself in Omi's ribs, not intending to kill him at all. Was this all a part of Nagi's twisted battle plan? Blood dripped from the wound as Omi hunched over in pain.  
  
Across from him, Nagi bowed respectfully, clasping his hands behind him. "I have no more time for this mere child's play." He stated coldly. After closing his eyes once again, Nagi disappeared, leaving Omi bloody and wounded in the middle of the snow. "Ken-kun, watch out!" Yohji's scream splinted through the winter air in desperation. The silver haired maniac was licking his blades sadistically as Yohji's companion pummeled himself through the air. His goggled were tightly attached to his forehead, his leather brown glove raised, the claws emitting a sharp and deadly glow as they raised straight towards Farfarello. Ken would not let this bastard get away alive. Not again.  
  
Ken's eyes widened in triumph, he was headed straight for the man's heart. He was going, flying, claws raised to strike and then...blood. Blood splattered all around the white sheets of night. Crimson liquid cascading in waterfalls through the darkness and melting its way inside of the white that lay below them. Dreams revealed, dreams shattered, like a lover's tears yearning for her companion. Lost dreams, faded compassion, broken wings shattering the hearts of angels from the celestial heavens. Stars, oh stars of night, can you save the hearts of men fighting for justice? Take away the pain, take away the world's pain, why must we fight? Why must we die?  
  
"Ken!" Yohji screamed, his face twisting in horror as he watched the scene play before him.  
  
A gurgle escaped Ken's mouth as Farfarello's laugh bellowed, retracting his blood stained knives from Ken's body. Forward, he was falling forward into the snow, his own blood staining the gifts from heaven, staining himself. His sins were spilling onto the ground, looking for a place to hide from the light, away from the body of their sinner.   
  
Laughing once more as the blood trickled from Ken's mouth, Farfarello snapped his wrist, pinning Ken's shoulder to the ground only splattering more blood onto the ground. We fight, we fall, we spill one another's blood, we die. But he was already dead on the inside. We're all dead. Why do we fight?  
  
Ken's eyes widened in shock. His dreams shattered, shattered with his tears and his body. Take me home. Ken's eyes shut in pain and he let his sins bleed into the earth. A wire cut through the air and wrapped its way tautly around Farfarello's neck. The man hissed and shot a nasty glance Yohji's way. Yohji's eyes were squinted in pain and horror. How dare this man defile his friend! How dare he lay his filthy weapons into a good man's heart and be able to fill himself with such pride. Perspiration slid down his face as he clenched the wire tighter. He will kill this man...  
  
In an instant, the rope became slack in Yohji's hand. Farfarello was quick enough to cut it with a pin that emerged from between his very own lips. Yohji's eyes widened in shock and prepared himself. Silver shot through the air. The silver of hair and the silver of knives. This couldn't be good. But he would fight, fight for Tai. More blood infiltrated the snow. He would fight for friendship, and for love, must he die in the process. Pain. Pain never stopped. Neither did the bleeding from inside and out, she was bleeding out. Schuldig's knife slit across her collarbone, ripping her skin roughly down her ride side to her hip. She screamed a bloodcurdling scream that ripped through the night like rabid tigers. She felt her own pain, she felt her emotional and physical pain both. Waterfalls of red slid down to the ground. Schuldig's eyes danced in amusement. "Oh no, did you make a mess my love?" he taunted.   
  
Tai placed a hand over her body, holding onto her ripped side, the blood flowing over her glove and covering her hand and arm. Her voice was raspy and hard, "I'll show you a mess..." she flung herself towards him, her dagger cutting right through his shoulder as she rammed him into the ground, pinning him with her dead weight. Pieces if her hair fell in wet snowy strings over her face and into her determined eyes. His own blood added to the red that already covered the area. Growling in pain and agitation, Schuldig spat at the girl and cried, "Bitch!" He raised his scarred hand, caked in blood, slashing at her face with his knife. She fell backwards, spraying the ground once again, a slight gash on her cheek. That would leave a scar.  
  
Schuldig clutched his shoulder, his own blood soaking his jacket and hand. He staggered over towards Tai who was fallen into the ground. His teeth were bared and his red hair was hanging wet as it framed around his face. His knife raised once more in an attempt to kill this time. Tai was defeated, she knew she was. Schuldig had her in the palm of her hand. She would die and leave the only thing she had left in this world behind. Gomen ne, Yohji. A tear slipped down her cheek as Schuldig's knife glinted in the moonlight and made it's way towards her shattered heart. She closed her eyes, come sweet death. Hands cupped around her shoulders and she saw a yellow light.  
  
Why was she not dead? Her eyes fluttered open. She was inside of a building now. It was the hallway into her father's office. Why was she here? Who had...her eyes looked up and stared into the emotionless face of Nagi Naoe. He had saved Tai from the wrath of one of his own team members. She flinched in pain and weakness. "Why did you...?" She began to ask before her voice cracked off. Where had all her strength gone? Nagi did not smile, he stayed the same as he always did, expressionless. His dead eyes burned into hers and he whispered softly into her ear, "It is not your time to die." She blinked as he said those words, but then he had gone just as fast as he had come.  
  
Stumbling to get up, her head spun. Tai was still bleeding badly, she was clutching onto her shoulder as she stared towards the door. "Daddy's office..." she said slowly. This was it, this was where her father would be. The man she had not seen in two years. The man that killed a part of her, her twin brother. The man she called father. Gathering whatever strength she had left, she wrapped her hand around the doorknob before her. "I'm coming for you, daddy..." she whispered a she flung the door open and stepped inside of the office.  
  
A burly man in a black suit sat at the desk, his hands folded tightly in front of him. He had not changed a bit since the last time Tai had seen him. This time, however, he was no longer drunk. Her father was completely sober. An eerie smile played upon her father's face as she looked at him in disgust. Getting up from his seat his father walked over towards the center of this office, his shoes tapping ever so slightly against the wood. "I've been waiting for you." He said calmly, his smile growing wider.   
  
Tai gasped, clutching her knife out in front of her. He knew she was coming? Her father stepped forward and closed his eyes. "I'm afraid we have some unfinished business, my darling daughter." He said, his eyes opening once more. Cold. Hateful. Dead. Tai's lips trembled as tears began to form in her eyes, the green in them becoming brighter with pain. "I am not you're daughter." She said hatefully, pushing her knife his way. Kill him. Kill him.  
  
Her father chuckled and nodded. "Oh yes, you won't be anymore, my dear Tai. I'm going to kill you just like I did your brother." Aki...Aki...Tai screamed, dropping her knife in pain. She couldn't bear to be in his presence. Tears fell down her cheeks as she looked up to face her father, and right into the barrel of a gun.  
  
Bang. Whiz. Red again. It was her heart. Her bleeding heart. That's where all the blood began to come from. She was dead before, and she would be dead now as the blood fell in pools from the pain of her past flooded from her body to shower the office floor. Backwards. Crash. Glass flew along with her body and her tears as she went flying.  
  
"I'm coming, Aki..." she whispered. She was flying through the cold, and the snow. She landed with a thud on the snow below of the office building. Tai's eyes looked up at the snow that was coming down and the moonlight before her eyes. Blood flowed like a river from the wounds on her body, seeping into the snow as the white absorbed her pain welcomingly. "Aki..." she whispered again. Footsteps in the snow. Cry of pain. "Tai!" Tai! Hang on!" a male cried. Tai's glassy eyes looked up. "Yohji?" she asked. The blond headed male kneeled beside the woman he loved and respected, her blood flowing into his hand ad he pressed it onto her wound in a feeble attempt to stop the blood from pouring out of her. Tai smiled, reaching up a hand weakly to touch his tear-stained cheek. "I'm sorry, I lied..." she whispred. Yohji slammed his eyes shut and placed his head down onto her chest as he choked, "Shut up! Don't speak.." Shine bright morning light... Tai closed her eyes and coughed, blood pouring from her mouth, covering her blue lips with the red that had once naturally flushed them before. Yohji's face was pale as a ghost. His cheeks were stained with her blood and his tears. Together they flowed down into the snow as he wrapped his arms around her body, bringing her close to him in an attempt to make her warm. Her body was dangling and lifeless. Now in the air the spring is coming... Blood. There was so much blood. How could he make the blood stop? Oh God, how could he make her stop bleeding. "Don't leave!" Youhji cried, jamming his lips onto hers in an attempt to save her with a passionate kiss. "I need you, with me." Tai shut her eyes again and coughed. More blood. She was so weak, God she was weak. Yohji clung to her. "I'm sorry. Aki needs me too. It's time for me to go with Aki." She said, her voice cracking every time she spoke. "Roses wilt in the winter..." she said thoughtfully. Yohji's eyes shed even more tears, what was she saying? "No, no, not you! You're never going to wilt!" Sweet blowing wind...singing down the hills and valleys... Tai softly gasped for breath, her skin losing all the color it once had. Yohji couldn't let her go. Tai couldn't die. She wasn't supposed to leave him, he couldn't have this happen again. Asuka...Tai...No....not again! Not ever again. He pressed her body close to his. Tai lifted her head up, her bloody lips touching his lips so softly as she spoke, dead breath escaping her lungs. "I...love you..." she raised a hand to his cheek. "I love you too. "he cried back as he spouted more tears from his jade eyes. Keep your eyes on me... Her hand fell from his cheek. Her eyes closed shut, her body lay lifeless and limp in the arms of the only man she could ever love. Yohji's eyes winced shut and he pressed her dead body to his chest. "You're not leaving me! Do you hear me Tai? I will not let you leave me!" he screamed in desperation as if to curse God for what he had done to his beloved. Tai was gone. Gone from this world and gone from him. There was nothing left. Nothing left to be with her... Now we're on the edge of hell... Yohji looked down at Tai's dead face. She still looked beautiful, she always had and always will. Yohji brushed a strand of his blond hair red with blood from his eyes and he smiled down at her, his tears falling onto her dead cheeks. "You came to Aki, now I am coming to you." He lowered his head and pressed his chapped lips agaisnt Tai's soft and lifeless ones. She was cold. So very cold. Dear my love, sweet morning light...  
  
Yohji raised the hand with his watch and pulled the wire from it. He looked down one last time at the woman he loved and let the tears fall once again. He slowly lifted her head and wrapped the wire around. He lowered his head and kissed Tai's lips once again. "I'm coming, Tai. Wait for me, we'll be together soon. Yohji wrapped the wire again around his own neck as he kept her in the kiss. Clenching his fist tightly, he pulled. Wait for me, you've gone much farther...too far... Roses always die in winter. ************************* Oh goooooodddd that took a while. *sweatdrops* Gomen ne, minna! Please don't hurt me for what I have done to the beloved Weiss boys. Ahhh...anyways...please Read and Review and all that stuff n' fluff. My next fic won't be serious and epic, just a nice humorous one-shot. One shots are goooooood....now...I need sleep! *runs off to rest her aching eyes* Thank you SO much for reading! Hope you enjoyed it! ~Chibi Selphie Kudou 


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